Family Ties

Being an artist can be a lonely business. But that’s less likely when art is a family affair. This month we meet fathers and mothers who have passed the torch to their children, and brothers and sisters and husbands and wives, who all share a passion for making art.

As you’ll see in the following pages, being related doesn’t necessarily mean sharing a style or a preference for subject matter. Utah-based painter Kirk Randle prefers painting scenic Rocky Mountain vistas, while his son James calls himself an “industrial landscape painter” who finds intrigue in refineries and train yards. Californian Jacqueline Kamin is known for her classic still-life works, in contrast to her daughter Stacy, who favors painting expressive figures in motion.

Once the artists settle the little things, such as when to offer critiques to each other (only when asked), they proclaim that there are many benefits of having a family member on a similar career path. As Jacqueline Kamin says, “Painting is a very lonely exercise, so having someone share it—especially someone you love—is very special.”